Proposed nationwide lease terminations could impact local federal office
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Earlier this month, members of the House Natural Resources Committee issued a letter to Commerce Secretary Lutnick looking for more information about proposed lease terminations at 34 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offices across the country.
One of those proposed lease cancellations was for a National Ocean Service office here in Santa Barbara that had a lease that would expire by June of 2026.
Your News Channel confirmed Tuesday that the City of Santa Barbara has an existing lease with the U.S. General Services Administration for 113 Harbor Way, Suite 150.
The lease agreement has an annual rent of $18,060 and the latest amendment to the lease has the option for a 60-month renewal lasting until the end of May 2031.
According to the City of Santa Barbara, no member of the federal government has reached out about canceling the lease agreement or to verify how the lease is being used.
The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries falls under the authority of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration which is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
A Google search for a National Ocean Service office takes you to an address at the Balboa Building at 735 State Street, but a managing member of the Balboa Building explained to Your News Channel that no federal agency has had a lease at the building and that the former federal office moved to the campus of UC Santa Barbara several years ago.
There is a Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary office inside of the Ocean Science Education Building on UC Santa Barbara's campus, but astute local readers will note that UC Santa Barbara is technically in the unincorporated community of Isla Vista and the proposed lease cancelation mentioned above was for an address in Santa Barbara.
Your News Channel reached out to the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the General Services Administration, and the Department of Commerce for confirmation and comment on the proposed lease terminations and have not heard back.
When reached for comment about confirmation of the potential closure of the part-time National Ocean Service office on Harbor Way, Congressman Carbajal's Office issued the following statement, "I am deeply concerned about the proposed NOAA office closures on the Central Coast and the potential negative impact they could have on our community. The Central Coast relies heavily on NOAA’s expertise and services, which are crucial to our public safety. Before the Trump Administration moves forward with any closures, they should be fully aware of the consequences and ensure that our region’s needs are properly considered. No decisions should be made until we all know the impacts."
On March 13, a Temporary Restraining Order was issued in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in State of Maryland v. United States Department of Agriculture that halted the terminations of federal employees, including those at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who have been placed in a paid, non-duty status in the meantime.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued the following statement on social media regarding the halted terminations, "The President has the authority to exercise the power of the entire executive branch – singular district court judges cannot abuse the power of the entire judiciary to thwart the President’s agenda. If a federal district court judge would like executive powers, they can try and run for President themselves. The Trump Administration will immediately fight back against this absurd and unconstitutional order."
